The next day, Clark found Madine packing her things for school early. One hour early.
"Isn't a little bit early for school, Madine?"
She didn't even look up from where she was in the kitchen, putting her cake on a proper place to carry.
"I have to get there a little earlier today. To set everything up for the party."
"What kind of party is it, anyway?" he asked, moving to the coffee machine so he could also start his day.
"It's a surprise party for one of our favorite teachers, Mrs. Trangia."
He nods, and the two stay in silence even after Madine finishes packing everything and starts to eat the pancakes she made for breakfast.
Finally, after they are finishing with the dishes - Ma had taught her never to leave a mess - she decided to talk about the elephant in the room.
"So... Thought about what you're going to do with Superboy?"
Her voice sounded apprehensive, for some reason. Uncertain. He didn't like that; it didn't suit his fierce and strong daughter. Clark turned to look at her properly.
"Kind of..." he had, honestly.
He spent almost half the time he had to sleep thinking about what to do with the clone and how could he overlook what he was and what he was made for. He still wasn't happy with the decision, but looking at Madine now... He knew it was the right one.
"And?" she pressed, biting her lower lip.
He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
"I'm gonna call Batman and talk to him about that. And if it's okay... I will bring him home later."
Her eyes lit up at that, what only made him more sure about his decision. If she was that happy, maybe things could work out for him and Superboy in the end.
"That's wonderful!" she cheered while both of them went to the hallway, in the way of their bathrooms. "Please tell me beforehand, though. I want to make something to welcome him properly if he comes today."
He laughed a little. He should've expected that she would act this way. All happy and bouncing and eager to have a brother.
"You bet." he said.
A couple minutes later, he bid her farewell and she went to school. It was still early for him to go do the Planet, and he wasn't much in the mood for being yelled at so soon in the day by Lois or Perry, so he picked up his comm. unit and called Batman.
His gruff voice sounded not much after.
"Batman."
"I need to talk to you," he said without much else. He knew how the Bat was grumpy by day.
"Is it urgent?"
"Kind of... It's about Superboy."
A moment of silence, and then, more slowly, "What about him?"
He sighed. "Can we meet at the Watchtower? I would rather have this conversation personally. And there's a lot to consider and talk about."
Another moment, and he heard Bruce sighing.
"I have an early meeting now. But I'll be free by lunch. We can meet then."
"Ok, it works for me. Call me when you're free and I'll go there."
"Fine."
And without much else, he hung up. Typical Bruce, so Clark wasn't shocked. He look at his clock and realized he still had a lot of time before he needed to go to work, so he decided he should end this soon, and picked up the phone, pressing the numbers to his parents' house in Kansas.
He had a very distinctive feeling that Ma and Pa would be as happy as Madine hearing the news.
And he was absolutely right.
They were delighted to have a new 'grandson' – as Ma kept calling Superboy – and started to make plans for the next family dinner – which would have to be soon, considering Ma's enthusiasm.
Clark didn't talk much about it, and soon they realized that he was a little hesitant to bring Superboy into their lives. They eased his mind reminding him that he was also adopted, so why couldn't he adopt a new son?
"It will be so good for you, Clark," Ma was saying, with a soothing voice. "He may have been created for a purpose, but he is his own person now. His destiny is not set in stone. And you can teach him so much!"
He stayed silent, only giving a few hums as his mother kept talking.
"Your mother and daughter are right, son," his father intervened. "You have to give this boy the benefit of the doubt. Meet him. Take care of him. Show him you care. I bet he only wants to have your approval now that he's out of that lab. Think about that."
After promising he would think, they hung up, and after a few more minutes debating whether or not go to work earlier, Clark eventually went to the shower, officially starting his day.
~.~
The morning was absolutely uneventful, with Clark just sitting on his desk finishing up a few stories he had to deliver. And proofreading Lois' work, of course.
When his time for lunch arrived, Clark left the building and went to a diner close by to eat something while waiting for Bruce to inform him he was free. It didn't take long. As soon as he finished his sandwich, his comm. buzzed.
"I'm going to the Watchtower now." came the low voice of the Batman.
He whispered on his comm., knowing the advanced technology would pick what he was saying with no problems.
"I'm on my way."
The buzz was cut off, and Clark finished his lunch and paid, walking to the alley two blocks from there, where a zeta tube was hidden. He speed-changed into his Superman suit and got in, soon being transported to the Justice League's orbiting satellite and headquarters.
Recognized: Superman; 01.
The robotic voice announcing his arrival was monotone, and he found Batman waiting for him by the portals with his arms crossed.
"I only have twenty minutes." the other hero said.
"Ok." he frowned. No time for stalling the conversation, then. Too bad.
The two of them walked 'til the nearest conference room, and as soon as they were both inside, Clark sighed and went to the point.
"I told Madine about Superboy." he confessed.
He could see the smallest of smirks in Batman's lips, something that only the people who knew him better knew how to see. And something only his daughter could get that easily. Without even being present.
"And I assume she gave you an ultimatum."
He sat on a chair nearby, Batman mimicking him in another chair across from him.
"Pretty much." he admitted. "But she also made me see that I'm blaming him for other people's actions, and this is not right."
"And she wants a brother." Bruce deadpanned.
"That too." Superman couldn't help the smile remembering her enthusiasm earlier.
"I was thinking about telling her myself if you didn't." Batman admitted. "I knew she would put some sense into you."
Superman frowned. "What do you mean?"
His friend sighed and uncrossed his arms, "Superboy was very disappointed you didn't stayed yesterday. Robin said they promised him to introduce him to you, and he was looking forward to it. And then you barely acknowledged him. How do you think he felt?"
Superman grimaced. "I didn't know what to do."
"So your first action was to run away?" Batman's voice was stern and left no space for apologies, and Clark sighed, defeated.
"I admit, I was a complete disaster yesterday. But I want to make things right. He's just a boy, in the end."
"And as your daughter so cleverly said it, it's not his fault he was made by your enemies. We can deal with them later, without involving him."
"We?"
"The League."
Superman nodded.
"Now, I assume you did tests on Superboy to see if he was safe?"
Batman didn't admitted, but he stood up.
"He's clean. Manhunter found a failsafe planted in his mind, to shut him down, but he already removed."
"Wait... A failsafe? To shut him down?"
"Yes. Two words, that if said by a certain person that we couldn't identify, would put him on a state of coma, of sorts, for a few hours. Like a pause button."
"This is sick." he murmured as they walked the hallways of the Watchtower. "He's not a machine!"
"True. But he's free from it now. And he doesn't have any sort of tracker on him. Also, Manhunter confirmed that the story Robin, Aqualad and Kid Flash told us yesterday is completely true."
"So where is he?"
"We put him on one of the rooms here for the night, until we could find a more permanent solution."
"I want to bring him home." Superman declared.
"Are you sure?"
No, Clark wanted to say. But he was giving the boy the benefit of the doubt, and his daughter a chance to be less lonely.
"Yes." he said instead.
Batman seemed to see right through him, but didn't comment. They stopped on a hallway far away from the main areas of the Watchtower, and his friend turned to him.
"You can talk to him here and take him home afterwards."
"I still have work today. I can pass by here later? Before my patrol, that is."
Batman only nodded once. "As you wish. I can ask Manhunter to help him get ready until you come later while you talk to him."
"I would appreciate that, thanks."
Batman nodded to the door. "He's all yours."
And then he left, leaving Superman on his own against the boy who was probably upset with him – and with reason.
He took a deep breath and a step forward, knocking the door twice.